Balchem targets healthier formulations and production efficiency at Fi Europe 2026

Balchem will showcase microencapsulated meat and bakery ingredients alongside science-backed nutrients for functional food and beverage applications at Fi Europe 2026 (Frankfurt, Germany, Nov 17–19).

The company will highlight MeatShure, BakeShure, K2Vital, and VitaCholine through finished product concepts designed to demonstrate nutritional benefits, processing efficiency, and formulation versatility.

The announcement follows a strong third quarter, with Balchem’s Human Nutrition & Health segment recording sales of US$188.2 million, up 8.1% year on year, as group net sales increased 8.6% to US$290.7 million.

Balchem will use Fi Europe 2026 to demonstrate how functional nutrition and ingredient technologies can help F&B manufacturers respond to consumer demand for healthier products while addressing formulation and production challenges.

The company will present its microencapsulated ingredient technologies for meat and bakery applications, alongside science-backed nutrients targeting cognitive, bone, and cardiovascular health. Finished food and beverage concepts will illustrate how these ingredients can be incorporated into market-ready products.

The showcase comes as Balchem reports continued growth across its business, including its Human Nutrition & Health segment, which supplies specialty ingredients, nutrient solutions, and customized systems for food, beverage, supplement, and pharmaceutical applications.

Microencapsulation targets nutrition and production efficiency

A key focus at Fi Europe 2026 will be MeatShure, Balchem’s microencapsulation technology for meat stick production. The company says the technology eliminates the fermentation step and the need for added sugar, potentially allowing manufacturers to increase production capacity while developing meat sticks that can carry no-added-sugar claims.

The approach is aimed at the growing better-for-you snacking category, where manufacturers are seeking to combine protein content and convenience with simpler formulations and additional nutritional benefits.

However, improving nutritional profiles can introduce technical challenges, including maintaining taste, texture, and stability while ensuring formulations perform consistently during processing.

“The better-for-you snacking category has moved from a niche health trend into the mainstream, with the global market growing at roughly 7–8% annually,” says Andrew Hart, director of strategic marketing and business development, Flavor & Encapsulates, at Balchem Human Nutrition & Health.

“Front-of-pack messaging is key here, with consumers looking for fewer unnecessary ingredients and added functional benefits. But delivering those benefits can create new challenges, with increasingly complex formulations affecting taste, texture, stability, and processing,” he says.

BakeShure targets shelf life and sodium reduction

For bakery manufacturers, Balchem will present BakeShure, its portfolio of acidulants and preservatives designed to extend the shelf life of yeast-leavened products while supporting texture, flavor, and freshness.

The range includes solutions for freshly baked products and freezer-to-oven and refrigerator-to-oven applications. It also includes options intended to help bakers reduce sodium levels without compromising product texture or volume.

Together, the meat and bakery technologies illustrate the company’s focus on addressing both product formulation and manufacturing requirements.Balchem’s microencapsulated ingredient technology MeatShure supports efficient meat stick production, while BakeShure extends bakery shelf life.

Functional nutrients

Balchem will also exhibit its minerals and nutrients portfolio at Fi Europe 2026 for the first time, extending its presence at the show beyond processing technologies and encapsulated ingredients.

The company will feature K2Vital, its patented, fully bioactive vitamin K2 ingredient for bone and cardiovascular health, alongside VitaCholine, its choline salts portfolio.

Demonstrations will include a dark chocolate concept fortified with K2Vital and ready-to-drink beverages enriched with VitaCholine. The beverage concepts are designed to demonstrate potential applications for cognitive and liver health.

The examples reflect opportunities for manufacturers to incorporate targeted nutrients into familiar F&B formats, including confectionery and convenient drinks.

Dominik Mattern, vice president of science, business development and marketing at Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, says the exhibition will demonstrate how the company’s nutrient and minerals portfolio can support differentiated products.

He notes that Balchem combines formulation and application expertise with microencapsulated ingredients, science-backed nutrients, and technical implementation capabilities to help customers move from product development to commercialization.

Human Nutrition & Health sales rise 8.1%

Balchem’s plans for Fi Europe 2026 follow the publication of its third-quarter 2026 financial results, which show continued growth in its Human Nutrition & Health segment and across the wider company.

For the three months ended September 30, 2026, the segment reported record sales of US$188.2 million, an increase of 8.1% compared with the same period in 2025. Balchem attributed the increase to higher sales in both its nutrients business and its food ingredients and solutions businesses.

Segment earnings from operations rose 11.8% to US$45.6 million, primarily reflecting higher sales and a favorable product mix, partially offset by higher operating expenses.

At group level, quarterly net sales increased 8.6% to US$290.7 million, while net earnings rose 16.0% to US$46.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA increased 12.4% to US$80.3 million.

Balchem’s other reporting segments also recorded sales growth. Animal Nutrition & Health sales increased 11.7% to US$63.0 million, while Specialty Products sales rose 4.5% to US$37.3 million.

For the first nine months of 2026, Human Nutrition & Health sales reached US$536.7 million, up from US$493.3 million in the corresponding period of 2025.

“With strong results through the first nine months of the year and a healthy balance sheet, Balchem is well-positioned to continue executing our strategic growth initiatives, and we remain excited about the future of our company,” says Ted Harris, chairman, president and CEO of Balchem.

The company says its continued investment in differentiated, science-backed ingredients reflects its focus on health and wellness trends, including functional food and beverage applications.